text:
Inspired Solutions
Workforce Scheduling & Rostering
Crown HR
Workforce Analytics
Working Time Consultancy
Warehouse Distribution and Logistics
Emergency Services & Justice
info@crowncomputing.co.uk
Discover Crown for the Cloud
Plymouth, UK
Princess Yachts International Plc, a division of luxury brand family LVMH, wanted to replace its labour-intensive, clunky and ageing time and attendance system with one that would address management needs now and into the future. A number of suppliers were considered but Crown Computing's Open Options was selected.
Princess Yachts was founded in 1965 as a company called Marine Projects, making just 20-30 boats a year. Today it has expanded into a business that has almost one million square feet of factory floor space over six sites in the city of Plymouth and builds 200-plus boats each year. The company is now part of the renowned LVMH – Moët Hennessey Louis Vuitton – family of luxury brands and continues to grow apace, having recently ventured into super-yacht construction territory.
The company's existing time and attendance (T&A) system dated from the 1990s. Like many such systems it was very labour-intensive and user-unfriendly; any sort of activity such as labour analysis could take up to a week to retrieve information and get it into the right format. It was decided that a replacement that could deal with the numerous payroll shifts and hours and also the management of the workforce activity and boat build times was needed.
Payroll Manager Peter Bryson-Meehan explains how the company settled on Crown Computing to deliver its new system: "We went about selecting a supplier through a simple process of looking at the providers out there for a system that would allow us to adapt it to our way of working and which could prove it could operate quickly and effectively. It also needed to be able to show real-time information and help us to improve our existing processes. Crown won the business because we felt the product on offer (Open Options) was the best for what we needed. It was very quick, very smart, simple and adaptable and also the people we'd met from Crown were very willing to talk to us and work with us and obviously look at developing the system alongside us – as well as within their own remit and the system's capabilities – to achieve what we needed."
As Bryson-Meehan sees it, for Princess Yachts one of the most attractive features that Open Options provides is the management of the company's varying shift patterns. He observes: "Within the manufacturing scope there are a lot of changes to what the men are working shift-wise and now it's very simple, easy and quick to make those changes. Another major attraction is the speed of clock data recovery, which is instantaneous. This gives our managers greater autonomy over their own environments so they can deal with absences and anything else that comes along more or less instantly."
Preliminary user training on Open Options was managed by Crown, initially through a two-day session at their offices. Bryson-Meehan says this was a very good start for him and his colleagues, insofar as it allowed them to interrogate the system with an expert user present. He adds: "After that we received a lot of remote assistance from the helpdesk – we can ask them questions and they will walk us through solutions and fine-tune the system as they go."
Princess Yachts' utilisation of its Open Options system is growing almost as fast as the yacht builder itself. Bryson-Meehan explains: "We're currently utilising the business process management module, which we use for a return-to-work process. Previously that had been a seven-step process, but Open Options enabled us to reduce it to just one and that greatly helps the various managers administer absence and the health and safety aspects of men returning to work. We also use the system's activity management tool and this allows us to allocate hours to specific boat lines and other activities and therefore enables us to control and interrogate the time taken for certain things. That in turn allows us to improve the processes and also the boat build times."
Open Options clearly has a bright future at Princess Yachts, as Bryson-Meehan confirms: "Today the main focus for the payroll department is the business process. We use it currently for managing the return-to-work aspect but we would also like to start doing so for other areas where management authorisation could be required, such as overtime, skill updates and training. Any of these could be used to trigger an event within the system that allows a manager to monitor and approve anything that needs to happen."
Looking at the business benefits to Princess Yachts of using Open Options, Bryson-Meehan comments: "Firstly there's the speed and efficiency with which the Crown system works and its adaptability. Another major benefit lies with the helpdesk and Crown's staff and the fact they are friendly, always willing to talk to us and tackle problems as they arise and try to find the best solution for what we need."
Interview with Peter Bryson-Meehan, Payroll Manager at Princess Yachts International.
To find out more and discover how our software can benefit your Organisation:
Crown Computing Limited
Amber Close, Tamworth Business Park,
Amington, Tamworth
Staffordshire, B77 4RP, UK
Email: info@crowncomputing.co.uk
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Crown Cloud Portal


The Healthcare Sector - Get Me A Investment Doctor !
In reviewing my charts this weekend, I noticed that one of my annotations was about to slip off the charts. You can see it on the chart below. The Healthcare Bill passed over 4 years ago and it was about to scroll off my Healthcare Bullish Percent Index. ($BPHEAL).
The majority of stocks in the group have been on bullish chart patterns since then with 2 exceptions. There was a pullback with the initial reaction to the bill. There was also a big pullback in 2011 that correlated with the overall SP500 ($SPX) dropping in July 2011 on European issues. Other than those two reactions, the majority of stocks in the sector have been bullish ever since. Recently, the sector broke out to new highs as discussed by Arthur Hills Market Message on Friday. This is a huge bullish trend for the Healthcare Sector as shown by the Healthcare Sector SPDR (XLV).
So how does that compare with other sectors? Excellent in fact. Starting at the date of March 22, 2010 only Consumer Cyclicals have outperformed Healthcare. Healthcare has outperformed the SP500 ($SPX) by 34% over the 1071 trading days since the Bill passed. This chart shows how much it outperformed the $SPX.
If we use histograms to present the absolute change since the bill passed, the chart sector comparison looks like this. This chart shows the absolute gains in each sector rather than comparing it to the $SPX.
The aging demographic of the baby boomers is definitely a strong factor for the sector. Investors looking to find strong macro trends may want to consider a larger percentage in Healthcare. Financials have been the worst performing sector over the same time period which is important information for investors with a traditionally large financial weighting in their portfolios. The Healthcare Sector SPDR XLV was almost a complete double over the Financial Sector SPDR (XLF). While history may not represent the future accurately, the demographic trend of an aging baby boomer population may be stronger force for the Healthcare sector than any current macro factor for financials. I think it is something worth considering after looking at these charts.
What a great explanation. It has changed healthcare from a defensive to a momentum industry.


text:
Westwood Point är en udde i Antarktis. Den ligger i Östantarktis. Australien gör anspråk på området.

Terrängen inåt land är platt. Havet är nära Westwood Point åt nordväst. Den högsta punkten i närheten är Warriner Island,  meter över havet,  kilometer norr om Westwood Point. Trakten är glest befolkad. Närmaste befolkade plats är Davis Station,  kilometer norr om Westwood Point.

Kommentarer

Källor

Halvöar i Östantarktis
Australiens anspråk i Antarktis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Cherry Peet-Tapurau is an experiencesd artist in many genres but has come to this gallery as a carver and painter. Cherry carves NZ pounamu, native woods of NZ as well as in sandstone producing works at corporate level. See her bio and her amazing story as a cancer survivor.
Cherry Te Peeti Hoera Rangi Whakaewa-Tapurau is of Ngai Tahu, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Rangitane and Nagti Kahungunu descent.
Cherry has been creating artworks for over 30 years in various mediums ranging from chalk pastel drawing to canvas oil paintings, through to glass, tile, copper, wood, mortar, up-cycling down-cycling, basically anything she could lay her hands on, was a potential piece of art in her eyes.
In 2003 Cherry was diagnosed with breast cancer. During the time she was receiving chemotherapy and radiation, Cherry was asked to hold an exhibition to tell her story through the medium of art, about her journey. She created over 20 large interior and exterior paintings and sculptures for the major outdoor exhibition which was held at Windrest Cottage, Te Puke entitled "My journey through Breast Cancer". All her paintings sold, and a percentage of the proceeds went to help pay for breast screening.
In 2005 Cherry decided to open her first gallery "The Little Tiki Gallery" outside of Te Puke in the Bay of Plenty.
With a major battle behind her, Cherry had always wanted to carve pounamu.
In 2009 Cherry was lucky enough to do a three day wananga (work shop) learning how to fashion a whoe (chisel) by hand, with a very well-known Tuhoe pounamu carver Te Kaha.
In the three days Cherry asked Te Kaha what type of machinery she would need to cut and carve the stone, Te Kaha invited Cherry to his work shop two weeks later and that's pretty much how it started.
Te Kaha and his whanua took Cherry under their wing and taught her the language of pounamu.
In the eight years Cherry has been carving pounamu she has had the opportunity to supply a London retailer for a year, exhibit her work at Auckland Museum, and in the past eight years Cherry has been supplying The Poi Room and Kura Gallery Auckland. Cherry is now holding her own wanaga.
In 2013 Cherry found a lump and was again diagnosed with breast cancer, but this time it was less aggressive only needing radiation, Cherry carved as much as she could through her treatment as it gave her a positive focus.
Through all her treatments, and whilst carving and working in her gallery, she was tested for the BRCA Gen. It came back positive, so she realized she needed to make some big decisions. She made them and Cherry has never looked back.
In 2014 Cherry and her husband, Wae Tapurau, moved to Dannevirke so they could spend more time with whanau.
After the tragic loss of Cherry's beautiful Mum in May 2016 Cherry decided to open another gallery in honour of her mum. Thus, Tiki 2 Gallerywas born in October 2016.
Mo ake ake tonu atu toki arohanui mou e mama.
"I thank the Art for getting me through breast cancer and I thank pounamu for keeping me strong. I feel blessed to still be here and be able to keep creating and learning, but mostly I thank my beautiful Mum for giving me the strength to be me.
I evolve and create pounamu taonga in the manner of tikanga and kawa. I embrace the teaching of my Kai ako (teacher) which has enabled me to have a direct link to the atua and my tipuna.
As a Maori wahine I believe we need to be strong in all aspects of our lives. I feel blessed to be able to share my work and pass on the aroha that I feel when creating a precious taonga.
"Ahakoe he iti he pounamu"


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Tata Power is currently incurring a loss of Rs 1,500 crore on its Mundra power plant, which it hopes to reduce by half upon tariff revision by increasing the tariff to Rs 3.10 a unit from the contractual tariff of Rs 2.80.
MUMBAI: Tata Power Company is confident of getting regulatory approvals for higher tariff for its loss-making Mundra ultra mega power project after the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has set a precedent by allowing Adani Power's power plant in Mundra to pass through imported coal cost to power consumers, a top executive of Tata Power told ET.
While Tata Power can expect a favourable outcome since its plea for higher tariff in also based on the same issue of escalation in coal prices, the company still has to get on board all the five state power distribution companies (discoms) it sells power to. Only once it has a consensus with the customers, can it file a petition with the regulator.
"Once the tariff has been approved for one company, the regulator will approve it for others on the same principle. There's no difference between their case and ours, only that we have five customers who need to agree and they had one," said Praveer Sinha, managing director and chief executive officer, commenting on the recent CERC order.
On Friday, CERC approved higher tariff for 2,000 mw of power that Adani Power's Mundra power unit sells to Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam, to allow the pass through of higher cost of imported coal to run this plant. Adani Power's Mundra plant, just like Tata Power's Coastal Gujarat Power plant, in Gujarat, runs on imported coal.
Both units were hit after Indonesia came out with a presidential decree that coal prices would be declared by them on a month-onmonth basis, linked to market factors and no licensee will be able to sell coal at lower than that licensed price, resulting in losses in the Mundra power units as they could not pass on the cost to the customers.
Tata Power is currently incurring a loss of Rs 1,500 crore on its Mundra power plant, which it hopes to reduce by half upon tariff revision by increasing the tariff to Rs 3.10 a unit from the contractual tariff of Rs 2.80. The Gujarat discom has approved the proposal, and the company now needs approvals from other four discoms in Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. The CERC order highlighted the need to look at contribution by each stakeholder for mitigating hardships faced by these projects.
"All these states know that Mundra would offer lower cost power, in spite of the increase in tariff, than any alternate source of power. We are in talks with the states but due to elections, chief ministers and ministers are campaigning. Hopefully, it would be done after the elections," Sinha said.
Tata Power's 4,150 mw-ultra mega power plant in Mundra can cater to 2% of India's total power needs. Since the change in policy in Indonesia in 2011, the companies impacted by it have been struggling to ease their burden by increasing tariff, but the process has been long due to regulatory issues and involvement of different stakeholders.


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Faces of ROTARY Rotary FACE OF ROTARY: ROTARY CLUB ROSEMARIE RUSSO COTAR When Rose moved to Westerly from Washington, D.C. in 2007, she was making a life change. A single mother of four, her only daughter had passed away and her mother was needing more help, so the move was made. She relates that she bought the house on John Street because it looked a lot like her old dollhouse. Rose, although a tough-as-nails accomplished woman with a degree in Business Administration from Bryant and owner of RAR Consultants, her own successful bookkeeping and administrative practice business for more than 14 years, is still very much a little girl who cherishes memories, vintage things, animals, and people. Rose joined the Rotary Club of Westerly in 2008, and immediately got involved. For nearly as many years she has served as both Secretary and Treasurer and is the heart and soul behind every event like the annual Pasta dinner for the Jonnycake Center, Scholarship Auction, Food Concessions at Summer Pops, Student of the Month, and virtually every other project. She is the glue that holds this club together, and if no one has the answer to a question, it's always, "Ask Rose." She sang with the Chorus for six years and still volunteers for them as well as spending many donor hours to enrich and strengthen Westerly. Busy? You bet! But Rose Russo always has time to serve. You have no excuse! You know you want to! Find out Rho more by calling (860) 917-8320. Sponsored by The Wine Store, your partner in community service. INT Faces of ROTARY Rotary FACE OF ROTARY: ROTARY CLUB ROSEMARIE RUSSO COTAR When Rose moved to Westerly from Washington, D.C. in 2007, she was making a life change. A single mother of four, her only daughter had passed away and her mother was needing more help, so the move was made. She relates that she bought the house on John Street because it looked a lot like her old dollhouse. Rose, although a tough-as-nails accomplished woman with a degree in Business Administration from Bryant and owner of RAR Consultants, her own successful bookkeeping and administrative practice business for more than 14 years, is still very much a little girl who cherishes memories, vintage things, animals, and people. Rose joined the Rotary Club of Westerly in 2008, and immediately got involved. For nearly as many years she has served as both Secretary and Treasurer and is the heart and soul behind every event like the annual Pasta dinner for the Jonnycake Center, Scholarship Auction, Food Concessions at Summer Pops, Student of the Month, and virtually every other project. She is the glue that holds this club together, and if no one has the answer to a question, it's always, "Ask Rose." She sang with the Chorus for six years and still volunteers for them as well as spending many donor hours to enrich and strengthen Westerly. Busy? You bet! But Rose Russo always has time to serve. You have no excuse! You know you want to! Find out Rho more by calling (860) 917-8320. Sponsored by The Wine Store, your partner in community service. INT
Rotary Club of Westerly
Charities Non-Profit Organizations

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
General News of Thursday, 24 September 2020
2020 elections: Mahama has lost focus – Maurice Ampaw
Private legal practitioner lawyer Maurice Ampaw
Maurice Ampaw, a private legal practitioner has suggested that the decision by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama to cut short his campaign in the Bono Region could adversely affect his chances in the upcoming elections.
Maurice Ampaw observed in a Neat FM interview that instead of returning to Accra to hold a press conference on alleged anomalies in the voters register, Mahama could have delegated one of the members of the party to do it.
He says that Mahama is committing three errors with his decision to put his campaign in the Bono Region on hold.
The first mistake according to Maurice Ampaw is that Mahama's actions could be interpreted as disrespect to the people of Bono Region as they will feel that their votes do not matter to him and the NDC.
Secondly, Ampaw says by choosing to lead the press conference, the implication is that there are no competent people in the NDC to address the issue aside the flagbearer. He wondered why Minority Leader Haruna Idrissu was not given the chance to hold the presser.
The third blunder being committed by the NDC in the wisdom of Ampaw is that Mahama is pitting the party members against the EC with his persistent criticism of the commission.
He stated this could lead to some members conceding to the notion that elections will be rigged irrespective of the effort and resources they commit.
He described as useless the press conference and said it will make no impact.
"Are they saying they don't have people who can deal with the issues regard the elections? Can't someone speak while Mahama is doing the campaign? You leave the campaign to attack the referee. The referee who will handle the match, you are calling it incompetent. Indirectly you are telling the supporters that you've lost. The morale of the supporters is that you've given up because there's an agenda against you so no matter what you, you'll lose".
"What kind of leadership is this?. He has lost focus. I have never seen something like this. You are in Bono and people have prepared themselves to meet and you leave them. Don't you have competent people in the NDC to address the EC issue?, he quizzed".
Already some allegations made by John Mahama and the NDC regarding the ongoing voter exhibition exercise have been rejected by the Electoral Commission.
The EC insisted in a statement that there is not deliberate plan to disenfranchise some Ghanaians.
FLASHBACK: Mahama's 12 interrogatories that were dismissed by the Supreme Court
Expedite action on electoral violence cases – CDD-Ghana
GUM will bounce back in next elections – Kwabena Andrews
Why don't you campaign in your father's name and his achievements? – NPP member questions Bawumia
Election 2020: NPP shared money, 'kako', others to constituents to vote against me – A.B.A Fuseini


Get an alert with the newest ads for "afghan rugs" in Toronto (GTA).
$1,000 Brand new, authentic hand knotted kazak area rug made from 100% hand spun wool from Afghanistan.
Handmade 1940's Afghan Tribal Rug for sale!
Handmade Afghan rug from the 1940's for sale! Immaculate condition. Purchased for me as a gift during a business trip in Lahore, Pakistan five years ago. Never used and stored carefully!
VINTAGE HAND KNOTTED AFGHAN RUG 6'6" X 3'3"


D:\Documentos do Leandro\Pelles C Projects\Alien - Cópia\ball.c(255): error #2140: Type error in argument 1 to 'CoCreateInstance'; expected 'LPCGUID const' but found 'UOW'.
D:\Documentos do Leandro\Pelles C Projects\Alien - Cópia\ball.c(255): error #2140: Type error in argument 4 to 'CoCreateInstance'; expected 'LPCGUID const' but found 'UOW'.
D:\Documentos do Leandro\Pelles C Projects\Alien - Cópia\ball.c(255): warning #2018: Undeclared function 'IID_PPV_ARGS'; assuming 'extern' returning 'int'.
D:\Documentos do Leandro\Pelles C Projects\Alien - Cópia\ball.c(255): error #2140: Type error in argument 5 to 'CoCreateInstance'; expected 'void * *' but found 'int'.
But it doesnt compile. What do I need to modify to make it work as expected?
You example was for C++.
Is there a way to use IWICImagingFactory or IImagingFactory on WinCe???
In winmobile SDK no wincodec.h. Need help!
OS Versions: Windows CE 5.0 and later.
It is COM based and Imaging.h is for C++ only.
I need only draw several *png with transparency on my form. In evc4 i have worked sample, but i like pelles more than evc.
Maybe you can suggest me easy way to do that in pelles с ?
How about using GDI+ instead, if that is available on WinCE?
Here is simple example with partially converted header file.
Wow! You Great! Compilled sample work fine!
Can you show your ImgTest.h? Please!!!
Oops, but now it is in that zip.
Work fine with CreateImageFromStream() too.


Thank. Feel free to use DC Universe Online promo codes before checkout. We only help you find the best bargains by applying DC Universe Online promo codes. Our dedicated team is making unremitting efforts to provide verified coupons for our users everyday. Umi Shoes Promo Codes, nunn Bush Promo Codes, caterpillar Footwear Promo Codes. Second, copy and paste the DC Universe Online promo codes before checkout.
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They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So what is this one saying to you?
These kiddos sure are cute!
Look at them munching on those apples!
Why doesn't that kid have pants on?
Do I often take photos from the loo? Uhhh, no, but I think it helped illustrate my point.
When we first potty trained Monkey he would scream "Get OUUUUUTTTTT, Mooommmmyyy." We have since adjusted his rants to "privacy, please," but the effect is still the same. He asks and we beat it out of the john so the little dude can take care of business without an audience. So why can't Mommy get the same respect?
In all seriousness, when can I escape to the ladies room without a parade of kids? I have actually had arguments with my husband where I tell him, "At least you can go to the bathroom any time of day and not have kids and a dog follow you in." Of course this is ridiculous, and of course he has no come back… because it is true.
Now when I signed up to be a stay-at-home mom, no just a mom in general, I had no idea that I would have such little privacy. During one bathroom break, Mimi actually rested her chin on my knee, gazed up to me with a sweet angelic face and said "Hi, Mamma." Adorable, right? No! Disgusting and wrong! Enough already! Move it along, kids.
As Monkey and Mimi grow and become more independent, I get that they will want to spend less and less time with me. However, I can assure you taking back the bathroom and a little "me" time while in there will not be an event I shed a tear over. I may cry when they don't want to walk next to me at the mall. I will surely cry when they don't want to hold my hand in public. I WILL NOT cry when they stop following me into the bathroom. Because we all deserve a little peace in our pee.
I would like to add that I find it extra creepy when they wait outside of the shower, just staring. Lay off, ankle biters, you did this to my body.


Made entirely of solid walnut.
Keyboard: rosewood, diatonic, ebony and bone chromatic.
Built for the Pollini Conservatory of Padua.
The harpsichord used for this recording is the copy of Ruckers Antwerp 1612 of the Flemish school. Three registers, transposition from 440 to 415 and lute. The colors in the tones give the performer expressiveness and dynamics. The valuable essence that has been used in decoration is the bois de rose; visible on the wrest plank, on the base and on the rosette inlaid by hand. The geometries on the sides were painted with natural earth colors with the intention of creating a marble effect. The sound, in its strings, has a French influence, but reaches the ear full of harmonics for a variety of colors that make it meticulous and characterful.
They emerge from the wood paintings that express forms without artifice. Forms that change over time, in the detail of nodes not hidden and visible construction details. The employment of the cypress choice in the sound board and the case has been laborious unknown, but returned to our listening rich sound, heat and long lasting color.


text:
Q: auto generating the doctor unit id using php, codeigniter! i'm developing a site using codeigniter, in my app i have this scenario

*

*each patient is assigned to a doctor
unit and there are 6 doctor units
operating in the hospital

*some times one or two doctor units may be not operating

*some doctor units are not operating is certain days, i.e one can operate on monday,wednesday and friday... like wise

so i have to auto generate the doctor unit number according to the arrival at the registration, how can i do this? how to track the previous unit assigned and assign the next one? query the operating units at the beginning keeping it in a array and auto generating, would that be appropriate? or using JavaScript to do it in the client side,would that be appropriate?
if suddenly doctor unit stops working, i will need to be dynamic enough to work on that condition also, how to achieve that kind of things using any approach?
regards,
Rangana

A: Well, you should obviously have a database table where you store your assigned units (and ideally the amount of time it'll take them to complete an operation). You also have a table or a combination of tables that hold each unit's timetable (on which days, between which hours they operate). This means you can always get the free units by whatever means necessary: usually a healthy mix of database queries and array operations.
Indeed, if you have a form open in front of multiple operators for a long time you could end up with double assigned doctor units - assuming the forms are populated with the available units at the time they are first opened. My suggestion is that from this form you should fire periodical (each 1 min?) AJAX requests over to the function described above which will ideally return the available doctor units and repopulate your form accordingly with the updated data. You should also check after the form's submission if the selected unit is really free, just to be sure.
I'm not sure I understood your question 100% so I hope this helps.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Favourite Films: #24, American Psycho
Posted on July 22, 2011 by Alex Spencer
"Do you like Huey Lewis and The News?
Their early work was a little too new wave for my tastes, but when Sports came out in '83, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He's been compared to Elvis Costello, but I think Huey has a far much more bitter, cynical sense of humor.
In '87, Huey released this, Fore, their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is "Hip to be Square", a song so catchy, most people probably don't listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it's not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it's also a personal statement about the band itself."
As Christian Bale's Bateman gives this speech, he's pulling on a plastic overcoat and dancing around the apartment. He delivers the final lines using the axe in his hands for emphasis. Immediately afterward, he drives this axe repeatedly into the skull of the (half-)listener.
It's a brilliant, singular performance. I'm not really one to talk about actors, because it's not my craft and – like with music – marvelling at someone's ability isn't something that gives me particular pleasure. But this isn't a Oscar-begging tour de force in subtlety and observation, it's a comedy performance. Watching the scene in isolation isn't miles from watching a stand-up comedian. The focus is on timing and little expressions; on being funny.
And that's the thing about American Psycho. It's many other things – a satire that doesn't embarrass itself too much, a strong character piece, a comment on how little people care about what others are doing, occasionally even horrifying – but mostly it's just funny. It's certainly structured like one, with set-pieces like the business card scene getting the big laughs, while little moments catch you for a wry smile in between. I can't help treating it like any other comedy: it's the kind of film that you quote to the people you watched it with for days afterwards. Listening to Hip to be Square to put me in the right mindset to write this still makes me laugh.
It's a chuckle-a-thon, about a successful businessman who slaughters homeless people and prostitutes to the soundtrack of bland '80s pop. That pleases me even conceptually, just writing that down. It's not like the film invented that idea, though, and maybe I should be siding with Bret Easton Ellis, who doesn't think his (absolutely brilliant) book ever needed to be adapted and that director Harron 'didn't get it', basically.
But I say: pshaw, Bret. We're all friends here, and Mary Harron got one bit totally right: she turned the volume up on the comedy. It's a little broader (more black comedy than black comedy) but that just helps makes it funnier. Any of the weaknesses of the adaptation are drowned out as a result. Even the difficult ending: though the film is far too smart to present it as a twist, it goes from being an intriguing ambiguity to a messy distraction.
But what it does 'get' is this: when you can laugh at a naked Christian Bale (phwoar, incidentally) flexing his muscles in the mirror during a sex scene, then running down a hallway with only a pair of white trainers and a whirring chainsaw to protect his modesty, what does that even matter?
Film	Tagged favourite films on friday, american psycho, christian bale
Half-way point of FFoF
Favourite Films on Friday: #23, Serenity


ChefWorks clothing is a recipe for comfort and style. Working in a busy, hot environment can take the passion of cooking away as you reach melting point.
ChefWorks is a brand which understands the pressures of cooking. By adding the simple ingredients, that is practical and stylish clothing, you are taken off the heat.
Wearing the right type of clothing in the catering industry is paramount when trying to keep cool.
Using an award winning fabric technology, ChefWorks have integrated cool vent technology into their chef's jackets.
One jacket which is designed using cool vent is the Montreal Basic Cool Vent Jacket which has two way fabrics across the back and shoulders to allow heat and moisture to move away from the body and cool air to filter in.
The contemporary and tailored Verona Ladies Chef Coat is stylish and feminine, as well as functional. With built in Cool Vent panels under the arms and back sleeves, it helps regulate body temperature to keep you cooler in the kitchen. The white and grey panels on this example, exudes a quality and fitting finish.
And for the more senior positions in the kitchen, we have the Executive Chef Coat (short sleeved). This design has a cool vent back panel running across the shoulders and upper back.
Having looked into the technology of the jackets, it is important to pay attention to the material used – this is what makes up the fundamental construction after all. The materials used are of the finest quality which combines practicality with style. Did you know that the material of a jacket is an indication of job level?
The majority of the ChefWorks jackets are made from using polycotton material. This is usually follows the ratio of 65/35 poly/cotton. The benefits of using this material is that it launders well, any creases drop out, and it is durable and strong.
ChefWorks uses a high quality thread for stitching and the stitches alone are of high quality too. Short stitches ensure that the seams won't come undone and bar-tacking (a double stitch) strengthens the overall construction of the jacket. This is consistent across the ChefWorks range.
The introduction of Colour by ChefWorks has revolutionised the chef uniform.
The mix and match abilities has bought a fresh, new look to the table for chefs. With 7 vibrant colours available, these quality chefs' jackets can be matched to chef trousers and head wear.
This berry coloured 3/4 length sleeved jacket (left) is for men and women. The double breasted jacket with cloth buttons features a left chest patch pocket and thermometer pocket on the right sleeve.
The quality of all ChefWorks products are closely monitored at the manufacturing level. Material is dyed in bulk to ensure that the colours remain consistent. This means that if dyed material manufactured in Central America was matched to the material India, then they would display the same level of vibrancy.
At Nisbets, you can create your own look through embroidery and screen printing. In product personalisation, found towards the bottom of relevant pages, letters, flags and logos can be embroidered onto the garment. This option can be added to any part of the jacket and other clothing categories.
For other branded chefs clothing, take a look at our website.


A. A. Al-Qarawi, M. A. U. Mridha and P. P. Dhar (2013). Report of Funneliformis mosseae (Nicol. &Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe from Rangeland Soil of Saudi Arabia. Research Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 8(2): 96-99. 2. P. P. Dhar and M. A. U. Mridha, (2012). Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal associations in some forest trees of Aagoonia, Bangladesh, The Indian Forester, Vol. 138 No. 4:344-348. 3. P. P. Dhar and M. A. U. Mridha, (2012). Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Associations In Different Tree Species From Hazarikhil Forest Of Chittagong, Bangladesh, Journal of Forestry Research, (China) 23 (1): 115-122. 4. M. A. U. Mridha, and P. P. Dhar (2007). Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and spore population in different agroforestry trees and crop species growing in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. Journal of Forestry Research (China), 18(2): 91-96. 5. P. P. Dhar and M. A. U. Mridha, (2007). Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal associations in Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Journal of Taxonomy and Biodiversity Research, 1(1): 35-39. 6. P. P. Dhar, M. A. U. Mridha and B. M. Khan, (2007). Biodiversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizae in Turmeric (Curcuma domestica Vahl.) –An Important Medicinal and Spicy Plant in Bangladesh. Hamdard Medicus, Jan-Mar, 50 (1): 27-30. 7. M. A. U. Mridha and P. P. Dhar, (2006). Mycorrhizal Research at Chittagong University. In: Advances in Plant Pathological Research in Bangladesh. Proceedings of the National workshop on "Strategic Intervention on Plant Pathological Research in Bangladesh". P: 209-219. Published by Plant Pathological Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Joydevpur, Gazipur , Bangladesh, 2007. 8. M. A. U. Mridha and P. P. Dhar, (2006). Plant Pathological Research at Chittagong University. In: Advances in Plant Pathological Research in Bangladesh. Proceedings of the National workshop on "Strategic Intervention on Plant Pathological Research in Bangladesh". P: 299-306.Published by Plant Pathological Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Joydevpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh, 2007. 9. P. P. Dhar and M. A. U. Mridha, (2006). Biodiversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Associations in Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth. Growing in Different Locations of Bangladesh. Journal of Forestry and Environment, 3: 61-68. 10. P. P. Dhar and M. A. U. Mridha, (2006) Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in different trees of Madhupur Forest, Bangladesh. Journal of Forestry Research (China), 17(4): 201-205. 11. P. P. Dhar and M. A. U. Mridha, (2006). Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Dependency of Some Tree Species–I. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research. 31 (4): 533-543. 12. M. A. U. Mridha; M. K. Bhuiyan; M. F. Akhter; M. Mahmud and P. P. Dhar, (2005). Powdery Mildew of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Caused by Oidium azadirachtae sp. recorded in Bangladesh. Hamdard Medicus, 48 (4): 130-132. 13. P. P. Dhar, M. A. U. Mridha, M. K. Bhuiyan and M. Mohiuddin, (2005). Status of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza in Gamari (Gmelina arborea) Roxb. Grown in Different Parts of Bangladesh, The Chittagong University Journal of Science, 29(2):65-74. 14. P. P. Dhar, M. A. U. Mridha, M. K. Bhuiyan and M. Mohiuddin (2005). Status of Colonization and Spore Population of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Tectona grandis L. From Bangladesh, The Chittagong University Journal of Science, 29(1):115-121. 15. M. S. Rahman, M. A.U. Mridha, S. M. N. Islam, S. M. S. Haque, P. P. Dhar and S. K. Shah (2003). Status of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal colonization in certain tropical forest tree legume seedlings. Indian Forester, 129: 371-376. 16. P. P. Dhar and M. A. U. Mridha. (2003). Occurrence and Status of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) Fungi in Different Tree Species growing in Betagi Community Forest. The Chittagong University Journal of Science, 27(1&2): 13-19. 17. M. S. Rahman, M. A. U. Mridha, B. M. Khan, M. K. Hossain and P. P. Dhar (2000). Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in Ghora Neem (Melia azedarach L.) seedlings grown from pre-sowing treated seeds. Bangladesh Journal of Forest Science, 29 (1): 9-14.


text:
package com.greenpepper.util.cli;

/**
 *
WrongOptionUsageException class.

 *
 * @author oaouattara
 * @version $Id: $Id
 */
public class WrongOptionUsageException extends ParseException
{
    private final Option opt;

    /**
     *
Constructor for WrongOptionUsageException.

     *
     * @param option a {@link com.greenpepper.util.cli.Option} object.
     */
    public WrongOptionUsageException( Option option )
    {
        this( option, null );
    }

    /**
     *
Constructor for WrongOptionUsageException.

     *
     * @param option a {@link com.greenpepper.util.cli.Option} object.
     * @param cause a {@link java.lang.Throwable} object.
     */
    public WrongOptionUsageException( Option option, Throwable cause )
    {
        super( cause );
        this.opt = option;
    }

    /**
     *
Getter for the field opt.

     *
     * @return a {@link com.greenpepper.util.cli.Option} object.
     */
    public Option getOpt()
    {
        return opt;
    }

    /**
     *
getMessage.

     *
     * @return a {@link java.lang.String} object.
     */
    public String getMessage()
    {
        return "Wrong option usage: " + opt.toString();
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Inside The Exorcist
7 minutes | 6 days ago
Wondery Presents Business Movers
In Wondery's newest series, Business Movers, host Lindsay Graham dives deep into the inner workings of some of the most successful companies of all time. From the origin stories of their famed leaders to the million dollar idea that catapulted them to success, how exactly did these companies grow from an idea and a dream to multi-billion dollar corporations? Hear the landmark decisions, the scandals, and the stunning triumphs that made them who they are. First up: Walt Disney. Listen at wondery.fm/business_movers.
5 minutes | a month ago
Wondery Presents Business Wars: TikTok vs. Instagram
In the newest season of Wondery's Business Wars, TikTok vs Instagram, they track the war between two social media giants. Within the last couple years, TikTok has become one of the most popular apps around the world. And despite political constraints the app has recently faced, TikTok has still managed to pose a serious threat to its American counterpart: Instagram. Listen to the latest season of Business Wars: TikTok vs Instagram today: wondery.fm/tiktokvsinstagram.
Wondery Presents: Billionaire Boys Club
In 1980s Los Angeles, a group of prep school boys got together to make investments together, get rich quick, and live large. But headed by a handsome and charismatic leader named Joe Hunt, the members of the self-proclaimed "Billionaire Boys Club" get sucked deeper into twisted schemes of kidnapping, torture, and revenge. The boys must stick together, or risk prison - or worse. From the makers of The Wonderland Murders, Young Charlie, and The Dating Game Killer, this six-part series is co-hosted by Tracy Pattin and Emmy-nominated actor Timothy Olyphant.Link to Podcast: wondery.fm/inside_BBC
Wondery Presents Guru: The Dark Side of Enlightenment
When we face challenges in life, we seek answers from people we believe can help us. When tragedy strikes an exclusive retreat with a self-help superstar, many people are left to wonder: how far is too far? James Arthur Ray was an Oprah-endorsed self-help teacher who achieved fame, fortune, and influence. But friends and family members of his followers questioned his unorthodox methods, and tried to stop him. From Wondery, the makers of "Dirty John," "Dr. Death," and "The Shrink Next Door," comes a story about the dark side of enlightenment. Hosted by journalist Matt Stroud.Listen today at wondery.fm/inside_guru.
Wondery Presents: Murder in Hollywoodland
It's February 2nd 1922, and all of Hollywood is about to wake up and learn that William Desmond Taylor, the most famous film director in town, was murdered in his home last night. The investigation will shine a light on some of Hollywood's most scandalous affairs, backroom deals, and underground drug dens. This real life Murder Mystery is one of the most iconic "whodunnit" cases of the 20th century that will leave you guessing and second guessing who killed William Desmond Taylor for weeks to come. Co-hosted by Tracy Pattin & James RemarListen to Murder in Hollywoodland: wondery.fm/insideMiH.
Introducing Hope in Darkness
Hope in Darkness is a 12-part series about the unjust imprisonment of a U.S. citizen and his wife in Venezuela. Host Becky Bruce follows Josh and Thamy Holt through the true story of how they met online, to how they were abducted days after marrying, through their years-long detention in a notorious Venezuelan prison. From team that brought you the hit podcast Cold comes a story that you have to hear to believe.Listen now: wondery.fm/hopeindarknessinside.
The Exorcist's Legacy with Final Destination's Jeffrey Reddick
In this bonus episode, series creator Mark Ramsey talks with producer and writer Jeffrey Reddick, who is best known as the creator of the Final Destination movie franchise. What is the legacy of The Exorcist? How is it shaping today's horror films? What makes the movie - even today - so powerful?
Inside The Exorcist: Behind the Scenes
Why The Exorcist? Why tell the story of the film and its makers in podcast form? And why choose a fresh audio graphic-novel storytelling approach? Those are just a few of the questions answered in this "behind the scenes" look at the making of one of the hottest podcasts of the year. Series creator and narrator Mark Ramsey talks with the show's amazing sound designer Jeff Schmidt. Don't miss the discussion about the secret "Easter egg" hidden in the audio that was only recently discovered by a Russian fan, or the inspiration for the chilling ending (hint: It is a movie, but it's not The Exorcist).
8 minutes | 3 years ago
Introducing Inside Psycho
From the creators of Inside The Exorcist, Mark Ramsey Media and Wondery, comes this magical mix of fact and fiction which transports you into the world of Hitchcock amid a deep dive into the mysterious and peculiar happenings that occurred during the filming of the legendary film Psycho. The film now is among the greatest thrillers in movie history--but it nearly didn't happen!
Redemption | E7
Too much success too young - William Friedkin is warned by legendary auteur Orson Welles. Friedkin's production company passes on a little movie called Star Wars so he can make his passion project which is eclipsed by its shadow. The film industry turns its back on him, but his love story teaches him a valuable lesson. Meanwhile, Jason Miller dies, William Peter Blatty's son speaks to him after death, and Linda Blair battles obstacles to save the lives of sheltered dogs. This, as the demon comes home to Iraq, and we answer the question: Whatever happened to the haunted boy?Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/itexThank you to our sponsors:Shudder - Join Shudder today for the best in thrillers, suspense, and horror and get a free month when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.shudder.comMack Weldon - When facing down your worst nightmare, performance based undergarments can make all the difference. Get 20% off when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.mackweldon.com
The Rapture | E6
The Exorcist opens - with no credit for the voice of the demon, Mercedes McCambridge - and she's furious. Audiences break down the doors to see the movie. Hysteria ensues: Vomiting, fainting, heart attacks, and more. The prominent critics...hated it. Rev. Billy Graham said "the devil is in every frame of that film." Pressure was building to stiff the movie at awards time, despite its popularity. Linda Blair was shattered. But despite the lack of industry support, William Friedkin was now wildly famous and could do anything. Or could he?Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/itexThank you to our sponsors:Shudder - Join Shudder today for the best in thrillers, suspense, and horror and get a free month when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.shudder.comMack Weldon - When facing down your worst nightmare, performance based undergarments can make all the difference. Get 20% off when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.mackweldon.com
The Power of Christ Compels You | E5
Friedkin wants to shoot the opening sequence of The Exorcist in Iraq, but first he has to teach the Iraqis how to make fake blood. And where's the demon statue? Not in Iraq - on a tarmac in Australia, unfortunately. Legendary makeup artist Dick Smith spends two hours a day with Linda Blair, most of it watching The Flying Nun on TV. The exorcism scene takes place in a refrigerated room, making everyone sick. Max Von Sydow faces a crisis of faith and can't bear to hear young Linda Blair curse. Pea Soup is vomited and heads spin 360 degrees. Famed composer Bernard Hermann calls Friedkin's movie "dreck." The voice of the demon, who spent years battling her own demons, will drink and smoke and eat raw eggs while bound to a chair. But when this movie comes out, will anybody see it?Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/itexThank you to our sponsors:Shudder - Join Shudder today for the best in thrillers, suspense, and horror and get a free month when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.shudder.comMack Weldon - When facing down your worst nightmare, performance based undergarments can make all the difference. Get 20% off when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.mackweldon.com
Tomb of the Demon | E4
The room where the haunted boy was released was haunted ever more. No one would enter that place again. Meanwhile, the impossible task of casting The Exorcist. The actors who said yes, no, and "hell no." Friedkin's remarkable interview with Linda Blair after more than 1,000 girls had auditioned and failed. Shooting begins, tragedies overwhelm a cursed set. A Manhattan barfly gets his shot at fame. It's all leading up to the exorcism sequence, a story of damnation and pea soup and a demon's voice summoned from a lifetime of alcohol, tobacco, and bronchitis.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/itexThank you to our sponsors:Shudder - Join Shudder today for the best in thrillers, suspense, and horror and get a free month when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.shudder.comMack Weldon - When facing down your worst nightmare, performance based undergarments can make all the difference. Get 20% off when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.mackweldon.com
Jesus Weeps Blood | E3
The haunted boy is freed from the demon...or is he? William Friedkin's The French Connection is a stunning success, but will his broken down Rolls Royce make it to the Oscar ceremony? Later, Friedkin opens a packaged tossed into a suitcase and spends all night reading what's inside: William Peter Blatty's book The Exorcist. He is stunned. Blatty wants Friedkin to direct. All the pieces are in place for the most controversial movie of their careers and one of the most horrifying films of all time.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/itexThank you to our sponsors:Shudder - Join Shudder today for the best in thrillers, suspense, and horror and get a free month when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.shudder.comMack Weldon - When facing down your worst nightmare, performance based undergarments can make all the difference. Get 20% off when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.mackweldon.com
The Snares of the Devil | E2
Priests try - and fail - to exorcise the haunted boy's demons. Meanwhile, William Friedkin witnesses a life-changing execution and insults a Hollywood icon. He loses a job but impresses writer William Peter Blatty, who's working on a story that is his next best alternative to unemployment. Friedkin finishes the movie The French Connection as Blatty prepares the book that will soon become a number one bestseller.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/itexThank you to our sponsors:Shudder - Join Shudder today for the best in thrillers, suspense, and horror and get a free month when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.shudder.comMack Weldon - When facing down your worst nightmare, performance based undergarments can make all the difference. Get 20% off when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.mackweldon.com
The Haunted Boy | E1
The story of The Exorcist is rooted in horrifying facts. Robbie is a young boy living in suburban Washington DC and he has been possessed by...something. Young Linda Blair loves horses, young William Friedkin loves scaring people, and young William Peter Blatty hears the story of the haunted boy in his religion class at Georgetown. It was so shocking, he would never forget it. One day, he will write it down.Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/itexThank you to our sponsors:Shudder - Join Shudder today for the best in thrillers, suspense, and horror and get a free month when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.shudder.comMack Weldon - When facing down your worst nightmare, performance based undergarments can make all the difference. Get 20% off when you enter code EXORCIST at checkout. www.mackweldon.com
Introducing Inside The Exorcist
A story of faith and fury, of horrors real and imagined. This is the tale of a real-life demonic possession, a movie, and its makers. A seven-part series inspired by the story behind an unforgettable, classic movie. Inside The Exorcist premieres October 10th


Order in the next 1 hour, 15 minutes an 47 seconds for same day shipping.
These sparkling stickers with the phrase 'Well Done' are an excellent way to let your pupils know that you are happy with their work. Perfect for using when marking homework or tests, these stickers are ideal to encourage your pupils to continue doing great work. 54 stickers sold per pack.
Customer evaluation for "Sparkling Well Done Stickers"


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Home » How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius: What Game Designers, Economists, Ballet Choreographers, and Theoretical Astrophysicists Reveal About the Greatest Game on Earth (Paperback)
How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius: What Game Designers, Economists, Ballet Choreographers, and Theoretical Astrophysicists Reveal About the Greatest Game on Earth (Paperback)
By Nick Greene
In stock with our warehouse--usually ships within 1-7 days. May or may not be in stock at Room.
A brilliant, entertaining deconstruction of basketball, drawing on the expertise of board-game creators, magicians, therapists, and more
Basketball is the second-most popular sport in the world—an insanely complicated game built on a combination of athleticism, craftiness, rules, intangibles, and superstardom. However, while it's enjoyable to watch, the real reason it works is because it's a game of culture, art, and all the things that make us human. How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius deconstructs the sport from top to bottom and then puts it back together again, detailing its intricacies through reporting and dozens of interviews with experts. These experts, however, are a diverse group: wine critics weighing in on LeBron's ability to delegate on the fly, magicians analyzing Chris Paul's mystifying dribbling techniques, cartographers breaking down Steph Curry's deadeye three-point shooting. Every chapter treats basketball to a multi-disciplined study that adventures far beyond the lines of the court, examining key elements of the sport from some surprising and revealing angles. There's a reason it has conquered the world, and every game is a chance to learn about pop culture, fashion, history, science, art, and anything else that bounces our way.
Nick Greene is a contributing writer for Slate, prior to which he worked as editor at large at Mental Floss and as web editor at the Village Voice. His work has been published in Vice, Men's Health, and Chicago Magazine. He lives in Oakland, California.
"Really novel way to approach the game, and pretty unique to basketball."—Sopan Deb, The New York Times
"A very insightful and engaging new book...The thing with this book that sets it apart is that the experts are not the usual suspects on ESPN, but a soap opera casting director weighing in on the game's most prolific floppers, magicians analyzing Chris Paul's mystifying dribbling techniques, cartographers breaking down Steph Curry's deadeye three-point shooting, and plenty more."
—Brooklyn Digest
"How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius is a rewarding read for anyone who loves the sport. It approaches basketball from a number of unique angles that make it feel new and exciting. It is almost as if one is reading about the game for the first time. Greene has written one of the best basketball books of recent years, one that combines history, reporting, and analysis in a very exciting way. Even the most ardent basketball fans will be invited to rethink well-worn truisms about the game's development, why it developed the way it did, and what makes it so appealing. By looking at the game of basketball, from its rudimentary beginnings to the way it is played today, Greene helps readers see the game anew."
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Sports & Recreation / Basketball
Kobo eBook (March 1st, 2021): $15.29
Hardcover (March 2nd, 2021): $28.00


Home All News Tech News Is Microsoft on the Way Back to Coolness?
Is Microsoft on the Way Back to Coolness?
When was the last time the world thought that Microsoft was cool? Probably ages ago when they enabled Apple IIs to run mainstream business software with SoftCard. Another was when they invigorated the PC industry to the GUI with Windows 3.0. Later, Microsoft was viewed as an evil monopolistic corporate bully that makes Windows and Office. Microsoft brought down Netscape and bought competitors left and right but got its wings clipped by the justice department. Opinions about the company have been mixed ever since.
The company still churns out good products and has its moments such as introducing the world to Xbox, Halo and Kinect. But more often than not, they release products and product changes that take the world 'to storm'. Not a typo. Microsoft gets a bad rap for many of the things it does such as rolling out buggy Windows Me, 'naggy' Windows Vista and 'touchy' Windows 8. Like following up on Star Trek tradition where every other movie is considered bad. There's also the ribbon interface on Microsoft Office, which many users hate but have to get used to, Excel's switch from Multiple Document Interface (MDI) to Single Document Interface (SDI). Companies can only make so many awful mistakes before going under. But Microsoft is so powerful, its software ubiquitous, that it could do no wrong. Mistakes are corrected later, but the ire of users remain. Check out the colorful nicknames for Microsoft at comment sections of tech sites.
But lately, things have started to pick up ever since they switched CEOs. With new CEOs come new direction, some good, and some bad. Under Satya Nadela, Microsoft seems to be on the path to coolness again. The angry mob put down the torches when Windows 10 brought back the Start Menu that Windows 8 took away. Microsoft's entry into the hardware business has been well accepted beginning with Surface Pro 3. Microsoft has an exciting new platform with Microsoft Hololens, and the company is getting better with branding with the upcoming Surface Phone ditching the unpopular Lumia brand. On the software side, Microsoft is gradually going open-source sharing its Computational Network Toolkit, the company's artificial intelligence platform. The company is also busy, as they should be on other platforms like Android and iOS.
Microsoft is working with Cyanogen on its Android fork. It's also helping the iPad Pro along with a version of Microsoft Office. The Outlook version for iOS is well received as well as other works like the anticipated single-handed texting Wordflow keyboard and the simply-named and easy-to-use Microsoft Selfie already with 500,000 downloads. Windows 10 is already at 200 million downloads.
But you can't please everyone. Microsoft's rise back to popular greatness won't happen overnight especially after keeping a dubious reputation of almost a decade. There will be bumps on the road as Microsoft's promise of 1 billion Windows 10 downloads is taking longer than expected. If Windows Vista was a nag, the company's update on current Windows 7 and 8.1 machines nagging to upgrade to Windows 10 is annoying users even more. Plus, Windows 10 is also gaining the reputation as spyware which is slowing down adoption even more. And to push the point even further, Microsoft is limiting newer generation Intel processors from installing older versions of Windows, quickly ending support for Windows 8 as well as ending support for pre-IE 11 browsers in favor of Edge.
Coolness is every company's general direction and with coolness comes money just like Apple is doing. Microsoft has its work cut out with its many divisions and so many products. Its concentration is stretched out too thin but with Satya Nadella at the helm with his vision of cloud integration and a vision of One Windows, he just provided everyone in Microsoft with a lighthouse in a dark sea. Coolness may just be on the horizon.


The $18 billion diversified conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has unveiled a Rs 10,669 crore bid for Mindtree as part of its strategy to "focus on services and assetlight businesses to drive profitable future growth". L&T has also placed an order with its broker for an additional 15% of Mindtree at the same price of Rs 980 apiece.
"This is an important ruling, which clearly and rightly states that the predominant intention of an AMC contract is to receive upkeep services and not replacement of any faulty parts, thus the tax rate of service being provided should be applied," said Harpreet Singh, partner for indirect taxes at consulting firm KPMG.
"Facebook will continue to lead," said Sandeep Goyal, founder of Mumbai-based communications agency Mogae Media.
The key to rebuilding Kerala in the wake of floods is not to develop the state into a city of high rise buildings but to lead the way to an eco-friendly and sustainable model, said Aruna Sunderarajan, Union telecom secretary and chairperson of the Telecom Commission of India.
New Delhi, Oct 14 () India's venture capital market saw large sequential growth during the third quarter of 2018 with over USD 2 billion being invested, according to a report by KPMG.
In a first for the IT industry in recent times, Cognizant has rolled out a skills premium allowance. This year, it has been given to 40,000 digitally-savvy employees. The move, designed to encourage employees to build and improve their skills in newer digital areas like machine learning and artificial intelligence, is applicable to levels up to that of manager.
New Delhi, Jul 31 () Seven in 10 fashion accessory purchases in 2022 will be influenced by mobile-focussed marketing in India, creating a USD 110 billion sales opportunity by 2022, a report by Facebook and KPMG said today.
Has GST filing time been cut to a third?
The government on Thursday said GST has reduced the number of tax filings for businesses, while slashing the preparation, filing and tax payment time to 36 hours, which is almost a third of the 105 hours that were spent earlier, drawing a sharp response from companies and tax practitioners.
The GST Council on Saturday opted to reduce the biggest niggle for businesses by allowing quarterly filing of returns by those with annual turnover of up to Rs 5 crore, a move that will benefit nearly 90% taxpayers.
The timeframe coincides with the plans of Suzuki's Indian carmaker unit, Maruti Suzuki, to launch an electric car here.
The position of an auditor in an Indian company is no longer an exalted one. Unlike in the not too distant past, when new auditor engagements were discussed politely between a company's promoter and the heads of audit firms, the process has now moved to the procurement department of the company.


text:
Runner's World: Run to Lose: A Complete Guide to Weight Loss for Runners
Chapter 29: How Stress Impacts Your Weight and Your Running Life
Our Director of Research, Rick Hecht, MD is interviewed in this book about his research published in the October 2011 edition of the Journal of Obesity, which found that "increasing mindfulness and responsiveness to bodily sensations reduced anxiety, eating in response to external food cues, and emotional eating…" Read the research.
Bay Area Top Doctors 2016
San Francisco Magazine
Our integrative oncologist, Donald Abrams, MD and our integrative pediatrician, David Becker, MD made the lists for Medical Oncology and Pediatrics, respectively. See the list.
Seeing a child steal a toy from a fellow playmate. Watching a stranger cut in line at the grocery store. When we witness something unjust, our emotions often shape our behavior both toward the person wronged and the wrongdoer. Read more.
What is ADD/ADHD?
Livestrong.com
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity and difficulties with focus or attention. Although many people may have these traits to some degree, in order to diagnose ADHD a child (or adult) should have symptoms severe enough to cause an impact in two separate areas of life. For children, this is usually home and school; for adults, it's home and work. Read more (8-segment article).
Many Hospitalized Oncology Patients Would Like Complementary Health Treatments
MedicalResearch.com
Many Americans use complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches to help them manage the symptoms of chronic diseases. To date, most of these treatments are only available in outpatient clinics. In this study, we asked oncology inpatients which of 12 different CIH approaches they currently use or have tried in the past, and also which approaches they would like to be available in the hospital. We found that 95% of patients had tried at least one complementary and integrative health approach in the past, and that a similarly high number were interested in accessing these services as an inpatient. More than three quarters of our sample expressed interest in receiving nutritional counseling and massage during their hospital stay, and approximately half were interested in acupuncture, biofeedback, and mindfulness meditation. Read more.
NewSayer
Excel prepares low-income S.F. residents for health care jobs
Her voice shaking, the young woman at the podium introduced herself in English and Navajo. "Hi, my name is Ashley Tapaha. I'm so nervous right now." Read more.
Medicine-Free Management of Type-2 Diabetes
The Costco Connection
Mark Rush's primary care provider was stunned. A newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes patient, Rush had lost his extra weight, and his blood tests were remarkably improved. "Just keep up with the meds; you're doing fine," the doctor said. "I'm not using the meds," Rush answered. "I'm exercising and controlling my diet." Read more.
Global health group links processed, red meats to cancer risk
Unlike many Americans, local health experts were happy to see the World Health Organization report Monday stating that bacon, hot dogs and other processed meats — and probably red meat — cause cancer. It's something the local health experts say has been known for years. "I can't explain to you why it has taken so long for the World Health Organization to catch up," said Donald Abrams, a professor of medicine at UCSF and chief of hematology-oncology at San Francisco General Hospital. "But I'm glad this is making news. It is something that many people have known for a long time." Read more.
How to Game Your Hormones
We know that when we feel overwhelmed, cortisol levels spike. The best way to circumvent that? Embrace, even welcome, stress.
"Hormones almost always respond to mindset," says Stanford psychologist Kelly McGonigal: "Change your mindset and you may alter a cascade of physiological changes." Rick Hecht, research director of UCSF's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, says that while there's no magic formula, some basic techniques can help. Read more.
Between Qi and the RCT: Lessons on the Road to Certification of Licensed Acupuncturists at San Francisco General Hospital
The Integrator Blog by John Weeks
The business of credentialing a licensed acupuncturist for practice in a hospital or health system can seem like a slam dunk. After all, one can quickly establish through third party verification whether the applicant has: graduated from an academic program with status from a US Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency; passed relevant licensing or certification tests; holds a license in the appropriate jurisdiction; carries malpractice coverage; and has practice experience. The same quintet of basic requirements can also be easily assessed for massage therapists, and doctors of chiropractic and naturopathic medicine. Read more.
Top Cancer Doctors
Newsweek Special Heath Issue: Curing Cancer
Osher Center integrative oncologist Dr. Donald Abrams has been named a Top Cancer Doctor in Newsweek's Special Health Issue on Curing Cancer, in the category of Medical Oncology.
Newsweek gives these awards in conjunction with Castle Connolly Medical LTD, the well-respected publisher of America's Top Doctors. Each year, Castle Connolly receives nearly 100,000 peer nominations, and carefully reviews the nominees' credentials by talking with leading specialists, chairs of clinical departments and vice presidents of medical affairs. We are proud of Dr. Abrams' inclusion in this list, as a result of his tireless dedication to his patients at both the Osher Center and San Francisco General Hospital.
A True ADHD Epidemic or an Epidemic of Overdiagnosis? by Dr. Sanford Newmark
In 2011, the CDC reported that the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children ages 4 to 17 years was 11%, with 6.4 million children diagnosed with ADHD and 4.2 million taking psychostimulants.
These findings represent a dramatic increase from more than 30 years ago, when the rate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was estimated at between 3% and 5%. What is more concerning is that the prevalence of ADHD increased by about 35% just from 2003 to 2011, and there is no indication that this increase leveling out. More than 20% of high school-aged boys have been told they have ADHD! Read more.
Hospitals, care centers employ laughter as treatment for health problems
DailyAmerican.com
Laughter is a bright part of any day, and now hospitals and health organizations are making efforts to incorporate it into their patients' care for proven health boosts.
Research has shown that the smile that creeps up and explodes into uncontrollable laughter has multiple health benefits, such as relieving stress and pain, boosting the immune system, reducing blood pressure, elevating mood and stimulating the mind, according to The Huffington Post. Read more.
Map of Emotions and Meditation on Compassion
HH The Dalai Lama's Website
The sky was overcast this morning, but inside a warm reunion took place between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his old friend Paul Ekman. Accompanied by his daughter Eve Ekman, his wife Mary Ann Mason and Eric Rodenback, Ekman had come to report progress that has been made in creating a Map of Emotions. His Holiness opened the conversation:
"Our focus should be all 7 billion human beings alive today, every one of whom wants to lead a happy life. We are trying to let them know that happiness is not entirely dependent on money and material things, but on inner values like compassion, without having to rely on religious belief. We are trying to adopt a secular approach that can reach all human beings." Read more.
Mindful Birthing
Pregnancy & Newborn magazine
Walking outside on a warm spring day, my insides constricted and pain radiated across my lower back. I closed my eyes and focused on the humid air as it made its way through my nostrils to the walls of my expanding rib-cage. I felt the sun heating my face and the breeze on my skin. I noted birds chirping, then a car purring by. I was using mindfulness meditation to help me through my labor and delivery without pain medication.
During pregnancy, I searched for a method that would help me achieve the unmedicated birth I wanted. I wasn't convinced that contractions are merely "surges" of energy, or that the ancient wisdom of my body would allow me to experience euphoria instead of pain. I didn't trust I could imagine myself on a beach while my insides tightened with overwhelming force. I wanted a way to deal with the reality of childbirth, and Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke, CNM, founding director of the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) Program, was my answer. Read more.
Get the giggles often? It may be in your DNA
UC News
Researchers at UC Berkeley and Northwestern University have found that a gene involved in the regulation of serotonin makes some of us more prone to spontaneous smiles and bursts of laughter, according to their study just published in the journal Emotion. Specifically, researchers looked at two versions of the gene variant known as 5-HTTLPR, and found that people with the short version were more likely to smile and laugh while looking at Far Side and New Yorker cartoons and humorous clips from the movie "Strangers in Paradise." Read more.
Beyond Elm Street: The Vivid Nighttime Horrors of Sleep Paralysis
…That's not to say Ascher didn't do his homework. One resource he says he consulted was the book Sleep Paralysis: Night-mares, Nocebos, and the Mind-Body Connection by Shelley Adler. "I'm endlessly fascinated by it," says Adler, the author, who has studied sleep paralysis for more than 20 years. Put simply, she says, sleep paralysis is "being asleep and being awake" at the same time. During the dream phase, a person's body shuts down the muscles so that the person doesn't act out the dream. But during sleep paralysis, she says, "we become aware of the fact that we're paralyzed…. All the sudden there's a consciousness of what's happening." Read more.
Can We Conquer Cancer?
RBB-TV, Germany [Note: no longer online]
Osher Center integrative oncologist Donald Abrams, MD is one of several cancer experts from Germany and the United States interviewed in the new German documentary "Can We Conquer Cancer?" Other UCSF doctors interviewed in the documentary include Dr. Pamela Munster, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Peter Carroll, and Dr. Jeffrey Bluestone.
Quick To Laugh Or Smile? It May Be In Your Genes
Northwestern University News
Why do some people immediately burst into laughter after a humorous moment, while others can barely crack a smile? New research examining emotional reactivity suggests one of the answers may lie in a person's DNA. In a new study linking a gene to positive emotional expressions such as smiling and laughing, researchers demonstrated that people with a certain genetic variant — those with short alleles of the gene 5-HTTLPR — smiled or laughed more while watching cartoons or subtly amusing film clips than people with long alleles. Read more. Our researcher, Laura Saslow, PhD, was on this research team.
Mindfulness Research Monthly
Eating is often an enjoyable experience, and at times, we eat more for pleasure ("hedonic eating") than to provide nutrition or reduce hunger. Since pleasure occurs in response to the brain's release of endogenous opioids (morphine-like neurotransmitters manufactured in the brain), the opioid system plays an important role in hedonic eating. This activity can be measured indirectly by administering naltrexone, an opioid-blocking drug that triggers cortisol secretion and sensations of nausea. Prior research has shown that overweight women with larger cortisol or nausea responses to naltrexone are more prone to binge and emotional eating and less likely to gain weight during a mindfulness-based overeating intervention Mason et al. sought to replicate and extend these findings in a large-scale randomized, controlled study of weight-loss programs with and without a mindfulness component. Read more.
Why Treat ADHD Without Medication? by Dr. Sanford Newmark
I have spent the last 15 years of my medical career treating children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using an integrative approach, with medication as a last, rather than a first, option.
Although many families and a few physicians see that as a rather rational approach, believing that it is usually best to avoid using long-term psychotropic medications, others might disagree. Read more.
After Orexigen Gaffe, What Role for Drugs Amid Obesity Crisis?
XConomy.com
…Now both Orexigen and Contrave are under a dark cloud. After four years of regulatory pinball, the FDA approved the drug in September 2014 under special conditions. Among other things, Orexigen has to keep testing it for long-term cardiovascular side effects. It's that work that has the company in hot water.
"It's the latest in a series of—I won't exactly say 'failures'—but certainly problems coming up with drugs to treat obesity," says Rick Hecht, director of research at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Read more.
The Impact of Intramural Grants on Educators' Careers and on Medical Education Innovation
The Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators
Shelley Adler and her team recently published a study in Academic Medicine on the outcomes of the Innovations Funding program. If you have ever received an AME Innovations Funding (IF) grant, you may intuitively know that the grant provides new opportunities for knowledge, networking, national recognition for faculty and mentees, and creating a legacy. But, what impact did the study actually find? Read more.
Integrative Medicine Empowering Patients
One Healthcare Worldwide
Integrative medicine combines modern medicine with established approaches from around the world. By joining modern medicine with proven practices from other healing traditions, integrative practitioners are better able to relieve suffering, reduce stress, maintain the well-being, and enhance the resilience of their patients. Integrative therapies have been found to relieve pain and anxiety in cancer patients, to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans, and to hold promise in preventing and treating heart disease. Now, some promising new research suggests that an integrative medicine approach may be effective in treating chronic pain, stress and depression — and in helping people feel empowered to take charge of their health. Read more.
Breathing your way to better blood pressure
KALW The Spiritual Edge
Hypertension. Sixty-seven million Americans have been diagnosed with the condition, more commonly known as high blood pressure. Before they hit age 50, hypertension is less common in women than in men. The female hormone estrogen likely serves as a kind of protection. But after 50, women's rates of hypertension go up. That increases the risk of heart disease. And heart disease kills more women than anything else. Read more and listen.
Menopause: What it Means and What Comes After
KALW Crosscurrents
Radio piece with interviews by Dr. Margaret Chesney and Dr. Priscilla Abercrombie. Listen.
Food Therapy: The Right Diet for ADHD Symptoms, by Sanford Newmark, MD
The best foods for children who have ADHD are the same as those for children who don't have the condition. All children need lots of healthy unprocessed food and generous amounts of fruits and vegetables.
The right diet — and good nutrition — is especially important for anyone with ADHD. Many children can eat a relatively poor diet and function pretty well at school and at home, at least in the short term. ADHD kids can't. Read more.
Freya Magnusson: Championing Integrative Medicine
UCSF News Center
…As a Hospital Secretary in the Pediatric ICU at UCSF and a student of natural medicine, Freya applauds the efforts of UCSF to integrate natural medicine as a complementary approach to total wellness, at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, the Pediatric ICU and other inpatient settings. As she helps providers with their work, she gives thanks for "your open-mindedness, your insatiable curiosity, and constant inspiration" as she sees progress made with her patients – and herself – each and every day. Read more.
The Baby Blues: Motherhood's Scarlet Letter
The Champagne Supernova Blog
…It's critical to apply best practices and benefit from others' lessons learned. There are a million different websites and available resources, but which ones provide information you can actually trust and put to good use? Below are some sites that offer tons of mindful birthing resources:
Gina Hassan, Ph.D.
Ann has graciously volunteered to donate a copy of Nancy Bardacke's book, Mindful Birthing: Training the Mind, Body, and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond to three randomly-chosen individuals who comment on this blog post by April 30, 2015. Read more.
Treating ADHD Naturally
The People's Pharmacy Radio
An amazing number of American youngsters is considered to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In some states, CDC data show that more than 10 percent of school children carries this diagnosis. The usual treatments for ADHD are stimulant drugs such as Adderall, Concerta and Ritalin. While they can be helpful in some cases, there is a suspicion that they are being overprescribed. Approximately two million children are currently taking them and are expected to continue on them for years. Not surprisingly, parents are often reluctant to start down that path. They worry about side effects such as insomnia, anxiety, or effects on growth. Listen to podcast of interview with Dr. Sanford Newmark.
Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP): Innovation in birth preparation to support healthy, happy families
Childbirth education programs are widely delivered throughout the industrialized world. In the USA, approximately 3.9 million women give birth each year, and approximately half of them attend some form of childbirth preparation course. There is unfortunately little evidence that childbirth education, as currently structured, is effective in producing beneficial impact on the birth experience and may instead cause the undesirable result of increasing women's fear of childbirth. Maternal stress in general is linked with preterm birth, and more focused examinations of fear of childbirth have demonstrated its links with adverse birth outcomes, such as greater risk of emergency cesarean. An innovative and efficacious approach to childbirth education is needed, which is the aim of our research on the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) program. Read more.
Dr. Rick Hecht Radio Interview on Sedentary Time Meta Analysis, in Annals of Internal Medicine
KGO Radio
A Deep Breath for PTSD
KALW: The Spirtual Edge
It is typically hard to recruit veterans for a clinical study on PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). To admit to the disorder and seek treatment, which may involve some sort of psychotherapy, runs counter to the tough, stoic attitude embedded in military culture.
But one clinical trial may be doing better than most — a collaborative study out of the UC San Francisco Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC). Its secret? The study offers a chance for veterans to exercise — something they're quite familiar with. Then while they're pumping weights, it teaches them how to breathe. Read more.
On point: Broadening pain management options with acupuncture, by Maria T. Chao, DrPH, MPA
Mission: Health Equity
As I think about the year ahead, one change that I'm really excited about is the prospect of acupuncture for patients at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH). In the US, pain management is the leading reason that patients seek care from acupuncturists. Acupuncture utilization has increased by 50% over the past decade, but is not commonly used by non-Asian minority populations and those with limited income. Barriers to use include high out-of-pocket costs and limited access to services. Read more.
Dr. Andrew Weil's Self Healing newsletter
Five years ago, President Barack Obama established a national Task Force on Childhood Obesity, aimed at reducing the rate of childhood obesity to just five percent by 2030–the same rate seen before the problem began to increase in the late 1970s. It was an initiative driven by sobering statistics: According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 10 percent of children age five and younger, 18 percent of children ages six to 11, and 21 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 19 are obese. All told, about a third of kids and teens are either overweight or obese. Read more.


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Cannes Film Festival Opens to Fashion Hits and a French Kiss
The Cannes red carpet was always going to be starry for the opening of the film festival, but this year there seemed to be more celebrities on the French Riviera than in Tinseltown
Agence France-Presse | May 12, 2016 15:17 IST (Cannes)
Jessica Chastian (left) and Naomi Watts (right) photographed at the Cannes Film Festival. (Images courtesy: AFP)
Fashion hits were courtesy Kirsten Dunst, Blake Lively, Kristen Stewart
Laurent Lafitte, who opened the festival, kissed Catherine Deneuve
Justin Timberlake caused shrieks of delight as he signed autographs
Is anyone left in Hollywood?
The Cannes red carpet was always going to be starry for the opening of the film festival, but this year there seemed to be more celebrities on the French Riviera than in Tinseltown.
Here is a brief snapshot of opening night's saunter down the red carpet.
Susan Sarandon in a suit
Cannes is notoriously strict when it comes to dress code, and last year a brief scandal broke out when women were told they had to wear high heels to climb the steps to the main venue.
The festival later denied this was a set rule for the red carpet, where black tie or evening dresses are required.
As if to make a point, actress Susan Sarandon oozed cool as she showed up in a suit and flats.
Images courtesy: AFP
She is in Cannes to take part in a series of talks on women in the film industry and on their depiction on screen, with Thelma and Louise co-star Geena Davis as well as Salma Hayek and Jodie Foster.
Canary yellow trend
Kirsten Dunst, who is on the official festival jury, showed up earlier in the day in a gorgeous yellow dress, and the trend didn't stop there.
She changed into a red floral number for the opening night of the festival, but both Jessica Chastain and Anna Kendrick walked the red carpet in bright canary yellow evening gowns.
Autographs and sunshine
They had been waiting for hours at the foot of the red carpet. Some even set up folding chairs the night before the opening - and a few lucky star-gazers got the attention of their favourite celebrity.
Justin Timberlake, who is voicing a part in DreamWorks new animation film Trolls, caused shrieks of delight as he signed autographs.
Image courtesy: AFP
Jessica Chastain also gave a moment to fans as did the belle of the ball Kristen Stewart with her bleached blond hair slicked back and bright red lips, in a sheer black gown.
Kristen has won rave reviews for her performance in Woody Allen's Cafe Society which is opening the 12-day jamboree.
Blake Lively, who also stars in the film, showed off a slight baby bump in a sequined gold gown with a small train, revelling in the fact that the forecast rainstorm did not dampen her walk up the red carpet.
"Cannes is one of the most iconic film festivals. It's very special. It's not raining!" she told reporters.
And the others?
Victoria Beckham, Eva Longoria, Naomi Watts, Gael Garcia Bernal, Woody Allen and his wife Soon-Yi, Jesse Eisenberg and Vanessa Paradis also set flashguns firing as they walked up the red carpet.
That kiss!
Just hours after Woody Allen said he wouldn't be opposed to a film featuring a love story between an older women and younger man if he "had a good story" - it fell into his lap.
As master of ceremonies, French actor Laurent Lafitte, 42, opened the festival, French actress Catherine Deneuve, 72 serenely walked onto stage.
Without a word, she turned to Lafitte for a prolonged kiss, much to the delight of the crowd who gave a standing ovation to the queen of French film.
Cannes2016
cannes red carpet
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